Meet Anne, Student Support Advisor

I am a Student Support Advisor, predominantly supporting students that have experienced Domestic Abuse and/or Sexual Violence. I work with the individual to see where there are risks, put a safety plan in place, and look to ensure they have ongoing support so that they recover from their experience. The most important thing to someone who has experienced Sexual Violence or Domestic Abuse is to be heard and believed.

For the past 16 years I have worked in the field of Domestic Abuse, for a variety of charities. Before joining the Student Support Team I was with First Light for nine years. During my time with First Light, I was invited to sit on the Strategic Panel for Sexual Violence that FX Plus were putting together. It was through this venture I first meet the team and developed a great working relationship with them. When my contract with First Light was about to change, I thought this may be the right time to look for something different. Student Services had a vacancy, and I took the opportunity to apply.

I joined the team in Sept 2023 and have loved every minute of it. Not only do I get to bring and use my experience from my previous roles, but I get to learn new ways of supporting students as well. I obtained my Law degree from Exeter University, so working on the campus is like coming back home. 

In my spare time I run a Scout Group, which allows me to spend a lot of time enjoying the outdoors by walking/hiking and camping. The energy of the young people is a fantastic energy boost. I attend camps locally with my own group as well as attending larger events all over the UK, where I, along with other leaders, provide a “Chill out” zone for 14 to 17 year-olds.

Walking is my way of self-care. It’s a wonderful way to get exercise but it’s also a fabulous way of seeing Cornwall at its finest. There are so many beautiful places that go unnoticed when we are busy trying to get from A to B. Taking time out and just seeing nature and all its beauty helps me to rebalance and helps to build resilience for what life throws at us.

Help is always at hand. It’s not always easy to ask for help but once you take that brave step, your problems immediately lessen in weight. No matter what you may be experiencing there is always someone who is ready to listen.

Through my role I get to meet so many students, hear the excitement in their future aspirations and the passion for what they are learning. The best part of my role is that I get to work with others to do preventive work around Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse. The only way we are ever going to reduce the amount of people experiencing SV and DA is through education and awareness.